California Wing of Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the highest echelon of Civil Air Patrol in the state of California. California Wing headquarters are located in Van Nuys, California.[1] California Wing consists of over 3,000 cadet and adult members at over 77 locations across the state of California.[2]
California Wing performs the three missions of Civil Air Patrol: providing emergency services; offering cadet programs for youth; and providing aerospace education for both CAP members and the general public.[3]
California Wing provides emergency services, including search and rescue missions, disaster relief missions, providing Air Force support, and assisting in counter-drug missions.[4]
In March 2020, members of California Wing partnered with the American Red Cross to serve meals to children in the Los Angeles area while schools remained closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
Youth aged 12–18 may enter a CAP cadet program. At the age of 18, they may become a senior member or stay as a cadet. Cadets that decide to stay as a cadet may continue until they become 21. The cadet program provides a 16 step program covering aerospace education, leadership training, physical fitness and moral leadership.[6] California Wing offers an annual summer encampment for cadets to further their skills.[7]
Civil Air Patrol provides aerospace education for both volunteer CAP members and the general public. The internal education program for CAP members educates senior and cadet members; the external program for the general public is provided through workshops offered through the nation's education system.[8]
California Wing is divided into eight groups across the state, with each squadron being assigned as a component of a group based on its geographical location.[9]
| Group | Designation | Squadron Name | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA000 | California Wing Headquarters Squadron | Van Nuys | |||
| CA999 | California Legislative Squadron | Sacramento | |||
| Group 1 | CA051 | Capt Jay Weinsoff Cadet Squadron 3 | Van Nuys | ||
| CA127 | El Monte Composite Squadron 21 | El Monte | |||
| CA080 | San Fernando Senior Squadron 35 | Pacoima | |||
| CA410 | Clover Field Composite Squadron 51 | Santa Monica | |||
| CA282 | Brackett Composite Squadron 64 | La Verne | |||
| CA285 | Beach Cities Cadet Squadron 107 | Torrance | |||
| CA379 | Hawker Senior Squadron 128 | Van Nuys | |||
| CA288 | South Bay Senior Squadron 129 | Torrance | |||
| CA116 | San Fernando Cadet Squadron 137 | Pacoima | |||
| CA292 | Los Angeles Cadet Squadron 138 | Norwalk | |||
| Group 2 | CA214 | Jon E. Kramer Composite Squadron 10 | Palo Alto | ||
| CA371 | Santa Cruz Composite Squadron 13 | Watsonville | |||
| CA015 | East Bay Cadet Squadron 18 | Hayward | |||
| CA334 | Jason M. Dahl Cadet Squadron 36 | San Jose | Formerly John J. Montgomery Memorial Cadet Squadron 36 | ||
| CA096 | Diablo Composite Squadron 44 | Concord | |||
| CA110 | San Jose Senior Squadron 80 | San Jose | |||
| CA414 | San Francisco Cadet Squadron 86 | San Francisco | |||
| CA346 | Tri-Valley Composite Squadron 156 | Livermore | |||
| CA452 | Amelia Earhart Senior Squadron 188 | Oakland | |||
| CA180 | West Bay Composite Squadron 192 | San Carlos | |||
| Group 3 | CA387 | Riverside Senior Squadron 5 | Riverside | ||
| CA435 | Palm Springs Composite Squadron 11 | Palm Springs | |||
| CA437 | Chino Cadet Squadron 20 | Chino | |||
| CA193 | Cable Composite Squadron 25 | Upland | |||
| CA423 | Corona Cadet Squadron 29 | Norco | |||
| CA123 | Billie L. Leclair Cadet Squadron 31 | Rialto | |||
| CA007 | March Field Composite Squadron 45 | March Air Reserve Base | |||
| CA458 | Hemet-Ryan Composite Squadron 59 | Hemet | |||
| CA333 | Voyager Composite Squadron 120 | Victorville | |||
| CA464 | Big Bear Valley Composite Squadron 6750 | Big Bear City | |||
| Group 4 | CA204 | Camarillo Composite Squadron 61 | Camarillo | ||
| CA158 | Vandenberg Composite Squadron 101 | Santa Maria | |||
| CA155 | Bob Beevers Composite Squadron 103 | San Luis Obispo | |||
| CA240 | Santa Barbara Composite Squadron 131 | Santa Barbara, California | |||
| CA448 | Simi Valley Challenger Composite Squadron 1986 | Simi Valley | |||
| Group 5 | CA151 | Sacramento Composite Squadron 14 | Sacramento | ||
| CA397 | Beale Composite Squadron 19 | Yuba City | |||
| CA138 | Travis Composite Squadron 22 | Travis Air Force Base | |||
| CA016 | Marin Composite Squadron 23 | Novato | |||
| CA046 | Sierra Composite Squadron 72 | French Camp | |||
| CA273 | Eugene L. Carnahan Cadet Squadron 85 | Placerville | Formerly Foothill Composite Squadron 85 | ||
| CA034 | Auburn-Starr Composite Squadron 92 | Auburn, California | |||
| CA475 | Butte County Composite Squadron 95 | Oroville | |||
| CA246 | Shasta Composite Squadron 126 | Redding | |||
| CA249 | Sonoma County Composite Squadron 157 | Santa Rosa | |||
| CA802 | California Aerospace Composite Squadron | McClellan | |||
| Group 6 | CA425 | Tehachapi Composite Squadron 46 | Tehachapi | ||
| CA469 | Pancho Barnes Composite Squadron 49 | Rosamond | |||
| CA146 | Lt Col Arthur King Composite Squadron 50 | Modesto | |||
| CA140 | Edwards AFB Composite Squadron 84 | Edwards | |||
| CA169 | Fresno Composite Squadron 112 | Fresno | |||
| CA224 | Bakersfield Composite Squadron 121 | Bakersfield | |||
| CA389 | Merced County Composite Squadron 147 | Atwater | |||
| CA394 | Porterville Composite Squadron 394 | Porterville | Formerly Visalia, Tulare-Kings Composite Squadron 394 | ||
| CA804 | Joe Walker Middle School Cadet Squadron | Lancaster | |||
| CA185 | Mariposa-Yosemite Composite Squadron 1850 | Mariposa | |||
| Group 7 | CA434 | Falcon Senior Squadron 40 | Fullerton | ||
| CA428 | Los Alamitos Glider Training Squadron 41 | Los Alamitos | |||
| CA295 | Fullerton Composite Squadron 56 | Fullerton | |||
| CA384 | Saddleback Composite Squadron 68 | Costa Mesa | |||
| CA343 | Long Beach Senior Squadron 150 | Los Alamitos | |||
| CA345 | Los Alamitos Cadet Squadron 153 | Los Alamitos | |||
| CA478 | South County Squadron 232 | Mission Viejo | |||
| Group 8 | CA324 | Skyhawk Composite Squadron 47 | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | ||
| CA256 | San Diego Senior Squadron 57 | El Cajon | |||
| CA466 | Fallbrook Senior Squadron 87 | Fallbrook | |||
| CA441 | San Diego Cadet Squadron 144 | San Diego | |||
| CA473 | South San Diego Cadet Squadron 201 | Chula Vista | |||
| CA803 | Escondido Cadet Squadron | Escondido |
Members of Civil Air Patrol who are employed within the borders of California are guaranteed ten days of unpaid leave from their employer when responding to emergencies as a member of Civil Air Patrol, under California Labor Code § 1503.[11]